Madras HC asks Centre about steps for protection of orphans

Madurai: The Madras High Court yesterday sought to know from the Centre if orphans staying in homes run by NGOs were properly protected from child molesters from abroad under the guise of providing education and

Madurai: The Madras High Court yesterday sought to know from the Centre if orphans staying in homes run by NGOs were properly protected from child molesters from abroad under the guise of providing education and also about steps taken by the government to protect them.

Hearing a petition filed by British national Jonathan Robinson, accused of sexually abusing children at an orphanage in Tirunelveli, Justice N Kirubakaran suo motu impleaded the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development while seeking the steps to protect the children.

The judge ordered the ministry's secretary to provide year-wise and state-wise details of cases that were brought to the notice of the government about the children abused by foreigners in various parts of the country.

The bench here also sought a reply whether it was a fact that the foreigners were sexually abusing the children in the guise of giving good education and adoption. The judge also asked what steps were taken by the Union Government to prevent foreigners to have access to children taking advantage of their poverty. Earlier, Robinson had approached the court stating that he was patronizing an orphanage called Grail Trust at Valliyur in Tirunelveli district and was charged for physically abusing boys there from 2011 based on the complaint by Bangalore-based NGO Justice and Care.

Valliyur Judicial Magistrate Court had issued non-bailablewarrant against him under Extradition Act. Further a “RedCorner Notice” was also issued against Jonathan based on the extradition treaty entered between India and Britain.

Challenging the NBW and “Red Corner Notice”, Jonathan approached the High Court bench.